Program on the Environment

The 2018 Streamflow Restoration Act (SRA) restored the status of permit-exempt wells (wells that do not require a water right purchase) following a controversial court ruling that halted future drilling. In addition to reopening drilling, the SRA mandates watershed-level planning to offset these well impacts while dedicating $300 million to fund streamflow restoration projects. However, it does not require monitoring or specify consequences if these projects fail to restore streamflow at the location and level that they are depleted, and little research has been done on the Act’s overall effectiveness. This leaves streams across the state at risk as climate change and overuse cause ecological decline and water scarcity. While interning with the Washington Water Trust, I conducted a study examining the SRA’s implementation and outcomes through comparing three watersheds in different areas of the state. Data collection spanned three primary methods: analysis of grant-funded projects, watershed restoration plans, and implementation assessments; public records on the number of permit-exempt wells drilled from 2018 to 2025; and interviews with stakeholders involved in watershed planning. When comparing well impacts and implemented offsets, the results indicated limited effectiveness in restoring streamflow, especially in mitigating localized impacts. Furthermore, interviewees raised concerns about the current implementation mechanisms’ ability to meet the Act’s long-term goals. Implementing transparent and detailed monitoring of well impacts and project offsets is necessary to improve the Act, and if this data reveals that certain tributaries are being overburdened, further well drilling should be halted to protect this critical resource.